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Last week’s AARP study of Washington, D.C.-area seniors who joined aging-in-place networks say the move has made them feel more engaged in their communities and more comfortable with their decision to stay in their homes.

According to the organization, it is clear from AARP research on the local level that the vast majority of seniors would like to remain in their homes and neighborhoods as they age versus going to a retirement community or nursing home.

The question is how to make aging at home safer and more comfortable?

Organizers in several DC communities, indicated that the best way to make that happen is through a Village. By that, they mean a grassroots membership organization, modeled after Beacon Hill Village in Boston, through which neighbors help neighbors access support and services to age in place.

“That could mean anything from a ride to the doctor, home repair referrals, or someone to take in your mail when you’re on vacation all the way to 24-7 home care,” according to the findings. “Some Villages also offer social opportunities from chess clubs to yoga classes to lectures and cultural outings.”

Since October 2007, six Villages have opened their doors in DC—more than in any city nationwide other than San Francisco. Five of them agreed to participate in an AARP DC study released on October 26, 2009 at the Village to Village Network Symposium in Washington, DC.

The goal of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors: A Qualitative Study of Villages Operating in the District of Columbia” is to provide District Villages the opportunity to learn from one another and to share their best practices, challenges and advice with organizers across the country regarding:

• Starting a new Village
• Building a strong board of directors
• Recruiting members
• Retaining members

Researchers from AARP interviewed residents and volunteers from five villages to find out what works and what doesn’t. A summary of key best practices and recommendations include the following:

• When starting a new Village, be flexible and open to change – adopt a “learn as you go” philosophy.
• Make sure you have the right mix of people on your board – experts in business, sales, fundraising, legal issues, finance, and local government, as well as a cheerleader.
• Use one-on-one conversations, such as small group dinners, to effectively recruit new members.
• Seek in-kind donations of office space and bookkeeping, and if possible, pool resources with other Villages nearby for common needs like bookkeeping and insurance.
• Offer a “membership plus” program or reduced membership fee for people in neighborhoods with low incomes.
• Find ways to recognize volunteers.
• Communicate with members via email and phone – shown to be the most effective communication channels.

What do you think of the Village concept? Let us know and we’ll share your responses with AARP.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted, as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

According to a recent National Association Home Builder’s forecast, there will be 85.3 million Americans ages 55 and older by 2014, over one-quarter of the total population. The demand for housing for the 50+ market will continue to grow, although this segment has been impacted by current economic conditions and the housing downturn.

Since affordable housing is getting more difficult for the average homebuyer to attain, modular construction offers one possible approach that may provide this opportunity and is an option more suitable for the global environment as well. In modular construction, components for a house or building are built in a factory or another controlled setting, transported, and assembled at the site.

Modular homes or prefabricated homes can readily accommodate the principles of universal design. It features universal design features such as wider hallways, lever handles, larger doorways, varying height kitchen counters, curbless showers, , anti-scald controls, handheld showers, grab bars,  more space to maneuver in kitchens and baths, and easy to reach thermostats. A modular home that features universal design will meet a family’s needs now and in the future, allowing seniors and people with disabilities to age in place.

Of course, modular construction has had its problems over the years, conjuring up images of low quality and cheap productions. While the stigma remains, it’s lessening. Today, modular represents a viable approach to residential construction, especially if it continues to evolve as it has been doing over the last few years.

Experts liken the modular building industry to the automobile industry. In 1908, Henry Ford revolutionized the production of the automobile by introducing the efficiencies of assembly line manufacturing—an innovation allowing him to significantly decrease its cost, making it available to the general public. Virtually every other major industry has been automated in the last 100 years, except construction.

To date, it has only captured a tiny fraction of both the commercial and residential real estate market. According to the Modular Building Systems Association (MBSA), representing the modular housing industry, only 2% of homes are modular. But today’s sour economy has caused people to take a second look at the construction industry as whole and realized some of the inefficiencies in it and consider some of alternatives like modular.

Despite its slow growth, modular construction has the potential to be a growth sector that can supplant the traditional housing delivery systems and provide another alternative for seniors who wish to age-in-place.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted, as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

Did you know that approximately 80% of home modifications, renovations, and repairs are paid for by the primary occupants of the residence? And out of these, the majority is funded by personal savings!

But don’t panic…There are many organizations, agencies, and resources (some of which may be right in your town or city) that can possibly help seniors and people with disabilities complete the home modifications necessary for them to age-in-place. A few of these programs are even comprehensive in nature, offering home assessments, providing the renovations and/or equipment, and training the individual to use the modifications at little or no cost.

A recent article for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) describes some of these potential money sources and assistance programs that may be available to those who choose to remain living at home comfortably, safely, and independently.

The following list is a general and abridged overview of potential funding sources for home modifications noted in the article:

Insurance Coverage of Home Modifications
Some insurance programs might pay for home modifications. This includes automobile insurance policies, worker’s compensation programs, state catastrophic accident insurance plans, medical trust funds, and long term care policies.

Medicare and Medicaid
Medicare recipients may qualify for an occupational therapy evaluation and treatment. Some Medicaid programs offer waiver programs that permit certain states to use Medicaid funds for services as an alternative to institutional care—such as home modifications.

Federal Programs Administered at the State or Local Level
Agencies like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) all offer various home modification options as part of the services they provide.

Foundations and Organizations
For individuals who have been diagnosed with disabilities and conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis—there are several national nonprofit organizations (such as Easter Seals) with local chapters that may offer home modification funding or services to ease the burden of providing care in the home.

Tax Deductions
If an individual did pay for home modifications out of personal savings, they may be eligible for Internal Revenue Service (IRS) deductions for medical expenses.

Many of the programs and agencies listed here often refer and utilize the services of locally-based contractors and remodelers like Home Evolutions. Such aging-in-place specialists can work with these programs and agencies to help make your home a place where you can continue living in comfort and independence.

Read more about this story in the next and upcoming issue of The Forever Home.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted, as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

According to a recent article by Laurie Orlov for Aging in Place Technology Watch, phone navigation will soon be a critical aging-in-place technology. Orlov believes that by 2013, phone-based navigation will be the dominant form of turn-by-turn navigation. In fact currently, more than one-third of North American consumers own or use some form of navigation services.

Today, surveys indicate that 21% of older boomers (aged 53-63) and 16% of seniors (aged 64+), are using dedicated, GPS, portable navigation devices (PNDs) for their navigation needs. “Moving forward, boomers and seniors should check for phone-based navigation capability in their cell phones when they upgrade. And enterprising vendors should consider designing applications (apps) that take advantage of it,” explains Orlov.

Here are some reasons why cell phone navigation technology can help seniors and people with disabilities age-in-place:

• Cell phone navigation is cheap—Phone navigation also offers voice recognition as well as screen capabilities that are available at multiple and very low price points. For example, the Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator and Sprint Navigation are available for a $9.99 monthly service fee. AT&T also offers the same capability for $9.95 per month.

• It’s available on nearly all cell phones and updates are immediate—Unlike PNDs, with cell phone-based navigation, updates to routes are immediate and happen over the same wireless network that becomes available when the phone is turned on. Plus, GPS-equipped phones will be largely available to the vast majority of phone subscribers by the end of this year. In addition, GPS-equipped phones can also interact with other location-sensitive applications—like current maps, real-time traffic reports, or apps that help people find gas stations or even restrooms in certain cities!

• Phone navigation can also help keep people from getting lost outside of their cars—Navigation will increasingly be as usable for walking around neighborhoods or on vacation as it is for driving. For example, the Nokia Maps application allows users to specify whether requested directions are for foot or car travel.

• FCC E-911 initiative drove vendors to incorporate location assistance—With so many people giving up landlines, the FCC insisted that carriers comply with this E-911 government regulation. Ensuring that cell phones can be located by police or firefighters is one reason that location-based services are now pervasive. For seniors and people with disabilities, this means that cell phone navigation capabilities can be used both to provide directions, as well as enabling a person with a cell phone to be located in an emergency.

Since the boomer and senior populations are swelling, Orlov states that technology vendors must continue creating new software apps that will be beneficial to people who choose to age-in-place. “Transportation apps are needed because as boomers and seniors age, they may remain longer within their own neighborhoods. As a result, they need access to services that make it appealing and feasible to leave the house, with or without a car.” So technology vendors should focus on apps that help seniors and people with disabilities find bus routes and their nearest stops, or identify available and nearby ride sharing.

She concludes that services apps are also needed. “Perhaps a medical map showing where a nearby pharmacy, emergency room, or walk-in clinic might be. Or perhaps even a ‘senior friend finder’ application that helps people participate in transportation buddy systems, helps them know what activities are in town, and who else may be going to a local event.”

Remember, CAPS designated companies like Home Evolutions can also help seniors and people with disabilities continue to live comfortably, safely, and independently as they age-in-place.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

One of the best resources on the Internet about aging-in-place is the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). As you know, our company is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and I hold a special and highly recognized designation as a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS).

But they are also a great resource for consumers too. Their Web site is chock full of information on living in one’s home independently regardless of age or ability.

A new fact sheet on their Web site includes some of the interesting facts, statistics, and information they’ve assembled for consumers just like you.

How big is Aging in Place?

• 89% of people 50+ wish to remain in their own homes indefinitely (AARP).
• 75% of remodelers have seen an increase in requests for aging in place work (NAHB).
• 60% of remodelers already perform aging in place work (NAHB).
• Over half of all 55+ households rate their current home a 9 or 10 out of 10 (American Housing Survey).
• The aging population is the number two issue to affect the remodeling industry over the next five years, only behind the availability of skilled labor (NAHB).

What is NAHB doing to help the aging population?

NAHB, in partnership with AARP and the NAHB Research Center, developed the CAPS program, the leading national educational designation designed to teach professionals how to modify homes for aging in place. Since 2002 more than 2,200 have completed CAPS, making it one of the fastest-growing education programs at NAHB.

What should my home contain if I want to age in place?

• A master bedroom and bath on the first floor.
• A low or no-threshold entrance to the home with an overhang.
• Lever-style door handles.
• No change in levels on the main floor.
• Bright lighting in all areas, especially places like stairways.
• A low-maintenance exterior.
• Non-slip flooring at the main entryway.
• An open floor plan, especially in the kitchen/dining area.
• Handrails at all steps.

What are some techniques CAPS-trained professionals use?

• Lighting from multiple directions – reduces glare and shadows.
• Light sockets with more than one bulb – redundancy in case one bulb burns out.
• Stacking closets for a future elevator shaft.
• Contrasting colors for depth perception – use a different color counter (or edging around the counter) than the floor, staining the edge of the stairs a darker color than the rest of the steps.
• Convenience shelf at an entry way to place your grocery bag while getting your keys.

NAHB Remodelers provides more information for consumers online at: www.nahb.org/aginginplace.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

Builder Magazine recently published its 8 hottest kitchen trends for 2010 and some of the factors influencing today’s culinary workspace design.

“Baby Boomers are hitting retirement age, lending standards have tightened, consumers have swallowed a slice of frugal pie, and the number of single households – particularly single women – is rising steadily,” writes the author. “All of those ingredients are feeding demand for smaller, more budget-conscious kitchens with a heavy emphasis on style and universal design.”

Builder gathered insights from a January 20 design workshop led by kitchen design gurus MaryJo Camp, Mary Jo Peterson, and Connie Edwards at the International Builder’s Show (IBS) in Las Vegas.

These are the trends they say we should be watching for in 2010:

Consolidated Activity: As houses get smaller, kitchens are carrying more responsibility. Today’s kitchen is still the hub of the home, and also a spot that’s big on multitasking — particularly now that many of the functions that previously had their own designated territory (e.g., laundry, dining, home office) are being absorbed into the kitchen/great room realm.

Ergonomics for All: The graying of baby boomers will raise important issues relating to functionality, user-friendliness and multiplicity. “Multiplicity acknowledges the variety of sizes, shapes, ages, and abilities of people who are in the kitchen,” according to Peterson said. That means not just older homeowners, but also kids, short adults, tall adults, and individuals with limited mobility.

Luxury for Less: Home buyers of average means must now pick and choose their luxuries strategically. As a result, builders and designers will be challenged to find interesting applications for modest materials, using the expensive stuff only for accents and memory points.

Small and Powerful: Notes the author, “Although kitchen square footage is less vulnerable to pruning than other rooms in the floor plan, many kitchens are getting smaller as houses get proportionately smaller.” To meet this need, many manufacturers have introduced new lines of streamlined appliances.

Planet Smart: Today’s buyers want green features with measurable benefits such as Energy Star appliances and Water Sense-rated plumbing fittings, as well as non-off-gassing finishes combined with good ventilation and air filtration.

Style-Conscious: Quartz and paper composites, glass and stainless steel work surfaces, large-scale (18” square) floor tile, chrome fixtures, and lightweight hulled concrete are becoming popular features.

Light Bright: Since aging eyes need good lighting, look for layered lighting for practical usage and visual effect. That includes a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting.

Devilish Details: In a small space, the entire kitchen becomes a focal point, so it’s important to attend to every detail. “Smaller spaces are less forgiving,” according to Camp. Refrigerators and other appliances should run flush with cabinet faces.

You can read more about these trends in greater detail at Builder.com.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

A recent article in HousingZone.com reported that more remodeling clients are planning ahead and opting to alter their homes for aging-in-place.

As determined by recent data gathered by the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Remodelers, 70% of remodelers that were surveyed reported making universal design home modifications. This is a significant bump up from 60% as reported in 2006.

Greg Miedema, Chairman of NAHB Remodelers, is himself a remodeler from Tucson, Arizona. He believes that universal design modifications can even make a home more stylish and convenient for the aging population. “Home owners are asking for remodeling improvements to make their homes more comfortable as they age because they don’t want to move or lose independence,” he adds.

According to the NAHB Remodelers, the aging-in-place modifications most frequently purchased by homeowners include:

•    Adding grab bars (78%)
•    Installing higher toilets (71%)
•    Upgrading to a curb-less shower (60%)
•    Widening doorways (57%)
•    Constructing ramps or lower thresholds (45%)
•    Enhancing lighting and task lighting (45%)

NAHB’s survey also found that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of aging-in-place options—with remodelers saying that 84% of homeowners have at least some knowledge of universal design solutions. In addition, 74% of remodelers also note an increase in requests for these types of features.

While remodelers often say that the bulk of jobs for aging-in-place come from clients age 55 and older, a growing number of consumers are not requesting aging-in-place remodeling solely for themselves.

Such improvements often address age-related disabilities of visiting older relatives, or modifications to make it easier for parents to share living space with grown children. More than 70% of homeowners started remodeling projects for aging-in-place because they were planning ahead for these types of future needs.

Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designated remodelers like Home Evolutions can help seniors and people with disabilities plan for their aging-in-place needs and incorporate universally designed home modifications.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

A recent article in the Pasadena Independent describes some of this year’s design trends to look out for in 2010. Prominent on its list was universal design.

According to the piece, since the real estate market remains uncertain, more Baby Boomers are making the decision to stay in their homes and spend their golden years right where they are.

They will continue to be more focused on the concept of aging in place, the author notes. “This means modifying the home so that they can spend their golden years comfortably, no matter what kind of physical restrictions they might have in the future,” she writers. “New designs, from touch faucets to better designed bathtub handlebars, are making aging in lace solutions better looking and easier to install.”

The Canadian Press also made mention in a recent piece, that aging-in-place is a trend to watch in 2010. With one in four Americans, turning age 55 or older, many designers and manufacturers are employing universal design principles, developed by engineers, architects and designers at North Carolina State University to make spaces and products user-friendly for everyone.

“For homeowners who don’t want to give up style for safety, think touchless faucets; trim kitchen drawers instead of cupboards; pullouts; task lighting and sensor cooktops. In bathrooms, look for non-slip floors, shower seats and grab bars with a sleek and stylish, not clinical, look,” the author writes.

2010 is gearing up to be another groundbreaking year for the aging-in-place movement as more and more seniors and people with disabilities choose to continue living safely, comfortably, and independently at home. CAPS designated companies like Home Evolutions can help you and your loved ones implement some of these upcoming trends and incorporate them into your aging-in-place home remodeling projects.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

Happy New Year to all of you. Hope you have a safe, healthy, and prosperous year.

For those of you thinking about aging-in-place, either for yourself or a loved one, we recently received a release from Indiana University (IU) in Bloomington about a book one of their professors recently published entitled, Elderburbia: Aging with a Sense of Place in America.

With the first of the Baby Boom generation well into midlife, the number of Americans at or nearing retirement age is both unprecedented and expanding, notes IU faculty member Phil Stafford in this recently published book.

Stafford, an adjunct professor in the IU Bloomington Department of Anthropology and director of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community’s Center on Aging and Community. The Institute is comprised of seven centers that work in partnership with adults who are aging with disabilities to promote their well-being, community-participation, self-determination and leadership. One of the seven centers is the Indiana University Center on Aging and Community which conducts research and provides training, assistance and information to individuals, families and professionals seeking to enable seniors to age-in-place.

In his book, Stafford writes that, “with so much emphasis being given to helping retirees maintain good health and active lifestyles, it also is important to think about where they live and how to make those homes and communities elder-friendly.”

His book suggests that aging is not about time and the body, but about place and relationships. Drawing on the multidisciplinary field of ethnography, it gives readers a deeper understanding of how the aging experience is shaped by where people call home, as well as a look at what makes a place well-suited for post-retirement living.

Elderburbia combines cutting-edge scholarship with practical advice and provides an introduction to pivotal research on the broad subject of aging and place, including studies of migration and relocation. It also takes readers inside innovative, elder-friendly community planning around the United States, particularly AdvantAge, an initiative to help counties, cities and towns prepare for the growing number of older adults who are aging-in-place, as opposed to moving to retiree-only communities.

What are some other books you’re reading or can suggest to our readers who are interested in aging-in-place?

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Home Evolutions is dedicated to providing ideas and stories about how seniors and people with disabilities can age-in-place, comfortably, safely, and independently. On occasion, we like sharing stories that are both inspirational and related to the diverse audience we serve. Discussing American Profile’s recent article, Hear The Beat, by John Gladden, is one such story that we feel is the perfect way to conclude our 2009 Blog.

Since 2005, the Ohio State School for the Blind Marching Band in Columbus has been wowing crowds and providing a meaningful and uplifting activity for its 32 members who are visually challenged.

This unique marching band (also called the Marching Panthers) began with 13 members when the Ohio School for the Deaf (also in Columbus), revived its football program and invited the blind school’s music department to field a marching band. Since then, the band has more than doubled in size.

The group recently received notice that it would be among 22 bands to perform in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade, and become the first blind marching ensemble in the event’s 121-year history!

“They are our inspiration,” said Stacy Houser, director of the parade’s music committee. “We would like to inspire musicians throughout the country, especially those with visual impairments, to realize that anything is possible.”

While the road to Pasadena has included obvious hurdles, the blind musicians have not let the challenges rattle them. “Instead, they have focused on musical and marching fundamentals,” said Dan Kelley, who co-directs the band with Carol Agler.

“I always have the kids focus on their abilities instead of their disability—how well you play the music, how well you march,” added Kelley who, like his students, is blind. “You don’t get recognition because you’re a musician who can’t see. There are a lot of musicians who can’t see—it’s how you work and what kind of team player you are.”

Each band member is paired with a volunteer sighted assistant. Agler drills assistants on the marching routines, while Kelley works with the musicians, who range in age from 13 to 23. When they come together, assistants serve as guides by placing a hand on the musician’s shoulder or inside loops on the back of the student’s uniform.

“It’s all by touch,” explained assistant, Valerie Herrington-Elhodiri, a music teacher at Huber Ridge Elementary School in Westerville, Ohio, who read about the band in a local newspaper and wanted to help. “The only time I’ll say anything is if in a parade there’s a bump in the road, or a hill coming up, or something like that. Then I’ll whisper that to them.”

Since most of the students have never seen marching, even their steps must be guided—sometimes to the point of picking up a musician’s foot and moving it, just to help the student get the feel.

From sousaphone player, Chris Harrington’s viewpoint, training and performing with the Marching Panthers isn’t that different from the approach of other marching bands. “A lot of people think because we are blind that it isn’t possible, or that it must be a lot harder than for a sighted person to march. But once you get your form down, the marching part just comes.”

Kelley acknowledges the challenges of marching blind. “Sometimes someone’s step can be a little bigger than the person in front or behind them. That’s where you get into trouble.” He continued, “Marching assistants work as a safety net and as guides on the field. But they’re not just helping the kids; they’re part of the show.” The assistants include all age groups—teenagers, college students, and grandparents from many different backgrounds including teachers, insurance agents, and retired band directors.

Right now, the Marching Panthers are traveling to Pasadena, California, where America’s only blind marching band will perform on New Year’s Day in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade. When finally stepping onto Orange Grove Boulevard, the 32-member group will not only become the parade’s first blind marching band, but also its smallest band in more than a century!

For Harrington, marching before a worldwide television audience of millions is both a privilege and a responsibility. While other bands represent their schools, his marches for people with visual impairments everywhere. “I just want to prove to other people that just because we’re blind, it doesn’t mean there’s anything else wrong with us.”

Home Evolutions would like to wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year! See you in 2010…

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